Skopje, 25 July 2022 (MIA) – Over 140 officials passed the Code of Ethics training, and over 120 public officials took integrity tests, said Deputy Prime Minister for Good Governance Slavica Grkovska at a working meeting Monday with Jim Moliterno, one of world's leading experts on ethics and integrity, hired for the USAID Civil Engagement Project. Grkovska said that strengthening the ethics and integrity, as well as the change in awareness of public officials and administrative employees, are key preconditions in building a system of good rule. She emphasized that her office, in cooperation with USAID and the professor from the Institute for Legal, Political and Sociological Research at the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, Mirjana Borota Popovska, conducted four training sessions for the Code of Ethics for members of the Government and public officials named by the Government, encompassing over 140 public officials named between January and April 2022. Around 120 public officials took integrity tests, which are now set to be analyzed, stated Grkovska Professor Moliterno, who took part in the creation of the methodology and the integrity tests, said that the test scores could be a good basis for the creation of further policies and plans, as well as improving the integrity tests in the future. Grkovska emphasized the importance of the sustainability of the process and that it’s not person-dependent, as well as providing a change in awareness so that we can build an effective society that benefits the people. In that context, professor Moliterno said that the role of the Code of Ethics and the integrity tests is to contribute to the change of awareness and the behavior dependent on the roles we all carry in society. dk/ba/